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ENGLISH premiership side Everton have completed the signing of teenage defender Brendan Galloway on a five-year deal from League One side MK Dons.
The 18-year-old Zimbabwe-born England youth international has joined the Goodison Park club for an undisclosed fee and will join up with their under-21 side.
Galloway was delighted to announce the news, and told the official Everton website: "It means an awful lot to me coming to such a great club. I'm now looking forward to learning off some of the more senior players – the likes of Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka.
"I've been watching them for years now and they're great professionals, great players – players who have been there and done it. That's a big thing for me to be able to learn off guys like that.
"Short-term, I just want to work hard to better myself as a footballer here, which I know I will with the coaches and other staff here.
"Long-term, I also want to get in the Everton team and play week in and week out in the Premier League and play in a team that's doing well, which I know we will do."
Galloway became the youngest player in MK Dons' history to feature for the club when, at the age of 15, he made his debut as a second-half substitute in a 6-0 FA Cup victory over Nantwich Town in November 2011.
He went on to make his league debut the following April and in total made 17 appearances for the League One club, scoring once.
MK Dons manager Karl Robinson was disappointed to lose Galloway, but wished him well for the future as he told his club's official website: "I do believe Brendan can be as good as he wants to be and I wish him all the luck in the world.
"He's going to a fantastic football club in Everton that will only aid his development."Advertisement


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Note to Netflix: Roku box needs latest movies
Web's No. 1 movie rental company is missing opportunity to seize early lead in digital delivery of feature films.
news analysis Netflix, don't take half steps with your digital-delivery service. Give your users what they want, and what they want is the latest hit movies.
CEO Reed Hastings and his management team have hit a home run--or at least a solid run-scoring triple--by partnering with Roku, the company behind the
But a month after the Netflix Player went on sale, I haven't read a single review that hasn't deducted points for the lack of films available with Netflix's streaming service. It's the biggest complaint from device owners I've spoken with.
Mr. Hastings, you've done a good job by setting up your "Watch Now" streaming service with 10,000 catalog titles, but you need to go further. Let customers purchase new releases on a per-video basis if they want. Some might resent being asked to pay in addition to their monthly subscriber fees, but if you explain that Hollywood charges more for new releases, your customers will understand. Give us choice.
"Why would anyone feel alienated by this?" said Michael Pachter, a financial analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities. "You can't get a better deal elsewhere. Netflix would be essentially giving you Apple TV without charging you for the Apple box."
This is an important comparison because Apple has already begun offering new releases for rent via iTunes. Trust me on this Netflix, you don't want to fall behind to Apple. And let me be clear. Hollywood hasn't barred Netflix from obtaining the latest releases. Netflix managers have acknowledged that they could have received the same deal as Apple. They chose not to, and I think that's a mistake.
Pachter disagrees with me. While he said he wouldn't be surprised to see Netflix experiment with streaming new releases, he likes the current hybrid approach: offering catalog titles for Internet streaming and mailing new releases in the form of physical DVDs.
"What Netflix is saying to customers is 'We're going to give you new movies on a disc and we're going to give you as much catalog and streaming as we can possibly deliver to you for (the same monthly subscription),'" Pachtel said. "That's a smart business model."
Netflix executives said during the company's investor day last month that most of the movies it rents are catalog titles.
But by ignoring the digital distribution of new releases, the company is leaving the door open to competitors.
In January, Apple cut a deal with the movie industry that allows iTunes to rent new releases 30 days after the flicks become available for sale on DVD. It would be nice to get them sooner, sure, but Apple is providing an option that Netflix is not.
It's important to note that Netflix's traditional mail-order business isn't affected by the same 30-day restriction. This is one of Netflix's biggest advantages over anyone delivering movies over the Web or on VOD.
Netflix buys physical DVDs as soon as they go on sale and, by law, Hollywood is powerless to dictate what the company does with its property. This means that by the time iTunes or VOD services are allowed to start renting movies, Netflix has been shipping those little red packages for a full month.
But discs are not the future. And I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Hastings predicted last month that DVD rentals will peak within the next 5 to 10 years, yet Netflix is leaving the Internet delivery of new releases to Apple and other competitors.
Here's why they may have gone this way.
Netflix doesn't serve a la carte
Subscription fees have helped make Netflix the No. 1 online video rental service. Founded in 1997, the company started out charging customers on a per-video basis and switched to subscriptions two years later. Not long after that, Netflix began offering unlimited rentals for a flat fee.
Since then, Netflix has steadily grown and snatched market share. In the quarter ended March 31, Netflix saw net profits jump 36 percent to $13.4 million, or 21 cents a share. The number of subscribers grew 21 percent to 8.24 million.
So why go back to charging users for each video they rent? They obviously are attracted to the all-you-can-eat model.
Netflix customers will gradually move to the Web
The Web hasn't taken over yet. There's plenty of time to boost the quality of Netflix's streaming library and consumers may not fully embrace Internet video until it's as good as watching a DVD.
While Roku's Netflix device offers easy access to movies and does away with the long download delays, it still doesn't offer the best-looking picture.
But improvements in download and streaming technology are coming rapidly. The Roku device is perhaps the best example of this. Adoption of Internet movie rentals could occur faster than anyone realizes.
And remember that advantage Netflix enjoys by being able to mail DVDs a month before Internet or VOD distributors? It's possible that might vanish soon.
The studios have a distribution structure whereby they cut deals to provide exclusive access to films for specific periods known as "windows." Theatrical releases typically come first, followed by home-video release, then pay-per-view channels, then regular cable, etc. This is why Apple and VOD services must wait 30 days before distributing rentals.
Take a look at this excellent story from the Los Angeles Times. Executives at some of the major studios, who used to believe that the Web and VOD services could hurt DVD sales, are experimenting with limiting the time an outlet has exclusive access to films. Others studios are testing whether it pays to make Web and VOD rentals available when DVDs go on sale.
Early indications are that Web sales don't eat into DVD sales.
This means Hollywood could conceivably break down the walls and give VOD and Web-movie distributors access to films as soon as Netflix gets them.
And look at the growing competition that's swarming into the sector. Apple, Amazon, Microsoft's Xbox, cable companies, and Hulu are all out to use digital distribution to offer consumers instant gratification.
Reader, I don't know about you but I'll choose instant gratification over waiting for the postman every time. I'm a film buff. Why should I be forced to decide what I want to watch in advance? Let me push a button and choose whatever movie I want.
I'd be willing to pay a premium for that.
So come on, Netflix. Spend big, move fast. Get your customers thinking of you when it comes to instant gratification. Gather expertise on streaming technology and pricing before your competitors.
The Internet and movie rentals are supposed to be your turf.

subset: commoncrawl


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RealPresence Immersive Studio and Immersive Studio Flex create a life-like collaboration experience, and one of the ways this is done is with Polycom 3D Voice. This technology delivers much more accurate and life-like audio than any other video conference or telepresense system.
Within Polycom immersive telepresence solutions, multiple ceiling microphones are placed specifically to triangulate each speaker's location. That location information is transferred to the Polycom immersive system on the far end, which uses speakers strategically placed above and below the displays to play back the audio specifically from the person speaking. It's like having an infinite number of "virtual" speakers built right into the displays. This results in an experience that is far more life-like than stereo "spatial" audio. Polycom SoundStructure is the engine that drives this unique, innovative audio experience.


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How to clean a soiled mattress – Orange County CA
As anyone who has tackled household cleaning duties knows, messes and spills aren't limited to hard surfaces and carpeting. Some surfaces can be particularly harder to clean than others, including mattresses.
Though cleaning a mattress doesn't come with the same simplicity of other bedding items, that doesn't mean the mattress shouldn't deserve equal attention. Cleaning your mattress can be effective and efficient with the right approach. Follow these steps so that you and your family can sleep on fresher bedding by nightfall.
Vacuum: When cleaning your mattress, use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner to tackle dust, dander and dust mites that can build on the surface. Repeat this process every six months, or more frequently if the mattress is used by a person with allergies.
Shampoo: After vacuuming, apply an upholstery shampoo to the surface of the mattress to fully remove dirt and soil. If you don't have upholstery shampoo, apply a solution of water and mild detergent to the entire area of the mattress. Wipe the shampoo or detergent solution clean by using a sponge that has had warm water wrung from it. Turn on the ceiling fan and portable fans to allow the area to dry quickly.
Cleaning spills: When cleaning spills and stains from your mattress, start by soaking up all liquid using dry towels. Once the stain has been completely soaked up, immediately toss the towels into the washing machine on a hot water setting to kill all bacteria. After doing so, lightly spray vinegar on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes to fully disinfect the mattress and eliminate odor. Afterward, sprinkle baking soda over the stain and let it sit for 12 hours to soak up the rest. After the 12-hour period, vacuum the remaining baking soda.
Drying stains: Place the mattress outside in the sun for a few hours to speed up the drying process and allow the mattress to fully air out, or pull back the blinds or drapes in the bedroom and open the window to expose the mattress to the maximum amount of sunlight and outside heat. When you replace the mattress, make sure to place the stain side down to prevent concentrating multiple stains onto one region.
In addition to cleaning your mattress, you can prolong its life by flipping and turning it every six months to ensure even wear. Use a mattress cover to ensure protection in between cleanings. To prevent dust mites, choose a mattress cover that is specifically designed to protect against the invasion of these tiny critters.
It's also important to replace your mattress after about seven years of use, according to The Better Sleep Council, a nonprofit agency that represents the mattress industry. With repeated use over time, a mattress can gradually lose its ability to fully support you. This can lead to sleepless nights as well as the feeling of cramps and stiffness upon awakening.
Though cleaning a soiled mattress is a household task you can tackle yourself, a Orange County house cleaner might be able to offer some expert solutions to ensure your mattress is cleaned properly the first time.


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Privacy policy
First Presbyterian Church of New Haven Website Privacy Policy
Respecting user privacy over the Internet is of utmost importance to us. This Privacy Policy describes the current policies and practices with regard to personal data collected by the First Presbyterian Church of new Haven (collectively "we," "us," "our") through our Websites (https://fpcnh.org/, https://www.facebook.com/FPCNH/, https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/2192379/). The term "Personal Data" refers to personally identifiable information, including your name, birth date, email address, mailing address, social security number, and the last four digits of your credit card number. To see the privacy policy for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), please go to https://www.pcusa.org/privacy/.
In general, you can visit our Websites without telling us who you are or providing any information about yourself. In some areas of our Websites, programs have been designed to perform specific functions for you directly though our Websites. Within these programs we may ask you to provide information that will enable us to process an order, offer services that require registration for a gathering or event or assist you with technical support issues or to follow up with you. In some instances, the information sought may include Personal Data.
This Privacy Policy applies to Personal Data submitted by you and/or collected online by us except through the Church Leadership Connection and student financial aid programs.
Your Consent
By using our Websites, you consent to our use of your Personal Data as described in this Privacy Policy.
Use of Personal Data Collected Through Our Websites
Information, including but not limited to Personal Data, that we collect will not be sold, rented, lent, exchanged or used by an individual or entity other than the First Presbyterian Church of New Haven (FPCNH) entities and governing bodies of the FPCNH unless otherwise indicated. This includes, for example, the information you provide when you register for an event or conference, order resource materials, request other services, or when you send us your comments or requests for information.
We use the Personal Data you provide for the purposes for which it was originally collected, for example, to respond to your email or to provide the programs or services you requested. We may also use Personal Data to help us improve the content and functionality of our Websites, to better understand the needs and interests of the people and organizations that use our Websites, and to improve our programs and services. This Personal Data may be used to contact you in the future to tell you about organizations within the FPCNH, programs and services.
Unless we have your permission or are otherwise required by law to release, the Personal Data provided by you online will be shared only with other FPCNH entities and governing bodies to enable them to contact you regarding services, benefits, or mission opportunities; with other third parties who act on our behalf to further process or analyze the data or protect the security or integrity of our databases or our Websites; and with our successors in interest through corporate merger, reorganization, dissolution or similar event. In the event of a release to a FPCNH entity or third party described above, your Personal Data will not be released until the FPCNH entity, governing body, or third party has agreed in writing to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy.
We, and others with whom we share your Personal Data, may retain your Personal Data on file to better serve you. Any destruction of Personal Data will be done in a manner consistent with the intent of this policy.
Anonymous Data Collected Through FPCNH Websites
In addition to the Personal Data you provide when you use our Websites, we use technology to collect anonymous information about the use of our Websites. For example, we use technology to track how many visitors access our Websites, the date and time of their visit, the length of their stay, and which pages they view. We also use technology to determine which web browsers our visitors use and the address from which they accessed the site.
This technology does not identify you personally. It simply enables us to compile statistics about our visitors and their use of our Websites. We use this anonymous data and may share it with third parties for various reasons; for example, to improve the content and functionality of our Websites, to better understand the needs and interests of our visitors, to improve our programs and services.
To collect the anonymous data described in the preceding paragraph, we may use temporary "cookies" that collect the first level domain name of the user. For example, if your email address is "email@example.com," the cookie collects the "xyz.com" portion of your email address and the date and time you accessed our Websites. Cookies by themselves cannot be used to discover the identity of the user. A cookie is a small piece of information that is sent to your browser and stored on your computer's hard drive. Cookies do not damage your computer. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie. This enables you to decide if you want to accept it or not. Our Websites only use temporary or "session" cookies. These "session" cookies expire when your browser window is closed.
For certain applications on the fpcnh.org Website to function properly, if at all, it is necessary for your computer to accept cookies.
We do not knowingly collect Personal Data from minors under the age of thirteen. If you are age thirteen or under, please do not give us any Personal Data. If you have reason to believe that a child has provided Personal Data on our Websites, please contact us at email@example.com and we will endeavor to delete that Personal Data. If you are a child age thirteen or under and using our Websites, please do not give any Personal Data about yourself, such as your name, address, birth date, phone number, school or email address. As we develop online programs for children, we will adopt appropriate policies and practices to protect the privacy of children.
When we obtain photographs and images of minors, we notify their parents or guardians and ask for a written and signed release before we publish them on our Websites (at some events with a large youth presence, we request signed permission forms as a part of the event registration process). When third parties send us photographs or images of minors, we ask that they do the same and have some form of permission to have taken those photographs and images and permission to use them. We ask users who send photographs and images of minors to our Websites not to send images for which they do not have permission of the parents or guardian or send photographs or images in violation of local, state or federal law.
Links to Other Sites
This Privacy Policy applies only to our Websites which are owned and administered by the First Presbyterian Church of New Haven. This site contains many hyperlinks to websites that are not operated by us. These hyperlinks are provided for your reference and convenience only and do not imply any endorsement of the activities of these third-party websites or any association with their operators. We do not control these websites and are not responsible for their data practices. We urge you to review the privacy policy posted on any site you visit before using the site or before providing any Personal Data about yourself.
Governing Law
This Privacy Policy forms part of our Website Terms of Use Agreement, which shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Connecticut.
Questions About Our Privacy Policy
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or concerns about the way we use Personal Data, please contact email@example.com.
Notification of Changes to This Policy
We are continually improving and adding new functionality and features to our Websites. Because of these ongoing changes, changes in the law, and the changing nature of technology, we may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time. When the Policy changes, we will post a dated notice in this Policy informing you that a change has been made. The Privacy Policy was last updated on August 26, 2018.


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ARES Letter for September 22, 2005
================= The ARES E-Letter September 22, 2005 ================= Edited by Rick Palm, K1CE ================================================= ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or comments: Rick Palm, K1CE, firstname.lastname@example.com ================================================= As this is being written, very dangerous Hurricane Rita steams westward into the Gulf of Mexico. South Texas SEC Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, a frequent flyer in this newsletter, writes in a report to ARRL: "Harris County (South Texas) will open its EOC for 24/7 operation beginning tonight (September 21) to support the Galveston evacuation, if ordered. ARES has been requested to serve the EOC for the duration. Harris County Hospital District officials have requested ARES operators to be on standby in case they are needed. The Harris County ARES leaders met Monday night to assess their assets, and have subsequently said they have sufficient resources to support this request. "In accordance with the state's new evacuation plans, Galveston evacuees will be sheltered in Huntsville, about 70 miles north of Houston. (Houston area hotels remain very full with Katrina refugees)." ____________________________ Correction: I want to apologize to D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, for getting his call sign wrong in the first issue of this newsletter. A longstanding pet peeve is missing someone's call sign. I'd rather have my name misspelled than my call sign! Sorry about that, D.W. We were trying to thank him for "his pioneering efforts with emcomm newsletters; he is credited with setting the standard for such newsletters." - K1CE ======================================== IN THIS ISSUE: + NORTH CAROLINA'S OPHELIA RESPONSE + HURRICANE KATRINA RESPONSE UPDATE + SHELTER OPERATIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY, SOUTH TEXAS + "FOG OF WAR" -- HOUSTON KATRINA RESPONSE DAY 16 + SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI + MORE ON THE SATERN STORY + AMATEURS SUPPORT BROADCAST STATION ROLE + POST-KATRINA: 800 MHZ TRUNK SYSTEMS FIRST TO GO + OPINION: LET'S MAKE ARRL AN "NGO" + NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS) TRAINING + LETTERS FROM KATRINA + FINAL THOUGHT =============================== + NORTH CAROLINA'S OPHELIA RESPONSE [The following is a report on fine North Carolina ARES activity in support of storm Ophelia from Bernie Nobles, WA4MOK, North Carolina Section Emergency Coordinator, forwarded by SM John Covington, W4CC]. All of North Carolina's coastal counties were activated in anticipation of Hurricane Ophelia. The eastern branch EOC was in contact with the hardest hit counties of Burnswick, and New Hanover. The eastern branch EOC operators used 3927 kHz and 7232 kHz, and the Burnswick County repeater on 147.315 MHz. All operations went smoothly and the participation was great. We had more ECs on HF than ever before, and I would like to stress the importance of having that capability. I would like to see all ECs become General class licensees for that reason. There was a lot of activity on our coastal linking system, which allows us to get into the outer banks. Richard Marlin, K4HAT, at Cape Hatteras fed us information about the storm effects, and several messages were given to the eastern branch EOC director. All NWS weather stations should have HF capability--I will talk to NWS staff at the Morehead and Raleigh stations about arranging for that capability. -- Contact NC SEC Bernie Nobles, WA4MOK: <firstname.lastname@example.com> + HURRICANE KATRINA RESPONSE UPDATE [Much of the following overview of the current Katrina response was culled from summaries of daily teleconferences of ARES officials in and around the affected areas conducted by Steve Ewald, WV1X, of the ARRL Headquarters staff. After the overview, we have a few compelling reports from the trenches. I think readers will find them to be riveting. - K1CE] Texas: In the Houston area, STX SEC Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, reported that hams are still supporting the big Houston Astrodome shelter. Other shelters in Houston have closed or were consolidated. Ray Taylor, N5NAV, who has reviewed the shelter situation throughout the entire state, said 160 shelters remain open. Alabama: SEC Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, reports that the Montgomery American Red Cross staging area staff has been "slowing down the pipeline" of available Amateur Radio operators because the need for operators is decreasing -- more Red Cross shelters and kitchens are getting telephone and cell phone service back. The Montgomery American Red Cross Amateur Radio HF station used the call sign N4AP and the frequencies 3.965 MHz and 7.280 MHz for communication with other Red Cross shelters/kitchens on the air throughout the region. Almost one hundred radio amateurs deployed to Red Cross shelters and kitchens throughout the affected region from the Montgomery staging center. Some operators have gone to the shelters alone, while others have gone in teams of two. Amateur Radio has been the primary shelter communication system for many shelters that do not have reliable means for communicating. Other operators have been given Salvation Army assignments. Alabama SEC Jay Isbell, KA4KUN, said some of the served agencies are "re-tooling" at the moment, and supporting radio operators are taking a rest at home before heading out again on new legs of the assignment. Louisiana: Acting Louisiana SEC Al Oubre, K5DPG, was expecting operators from Colorado, Wisconsin and a team from the ARRL Western Washington section. He was anticipating more Amateur Radio needed for Red Cross ops in St. Bernard and Jefferson Parishes. Oubre said he has 12 radio amateurs on current assignment in Covington, Bogalusa and Franklinton, Louisiana. Phone and cell phone service is slowly returning to some parts of the state. Oubre concluded: "All in all, a good reply from the country in mutual assistance." -- Contact Al Oubre, K5DPG: <firstname.lastname@example.com> Benson Scott, AE5V, and Mickey Cox, K5MC, among others, have been handling health and welfare traffic. Scott is doing so via NTS Digital operations and Winlink. They are working on finding outlets to deliver the traffic. Mississippi: In Harrison and Jackson Counties, more repeaters are back on-line as commercial power is restored. The Harrison County EOC is closing its Amateur Radio response operation. Radio amateurs are expected to continue to support the Stennis EOC in hardest hit Hancock county until the end of the month. Northern Florida SM Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, has been coordinating Florida ARES operator resources to assist there. Northern Florida SEC Joe Bushel, W2DWR, reported that Amateur Radio operators were helping the National Guard working in this area to keep in touch with the EOC. Mississippi SM/SEC Malcolm Keown, W5XX, stressed the need that SECs and SMs should continue to act as "screeners" for volunteer radio operators coming in from around the country. + SHELTER OPERATIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY, SOUTH TEXAS The Harris County Amateur Radio community, lead by the Harris County ARES Emergency Coordinators, continues to assist with communications for various Incident Command elements at both the Astrodome/Reliant Center and George R. Brown Convention Center shelters. More than 130 licensed Amateur Radio operators are participating on-site, with many more support operators behind the scenes. Other amateurs from surrounding counties are also being used in this deployment. Harris County emergency management's Regional Incident Management System (RIMS) is used to track communication events and staffing. To date, 1,626 person-hours of direct Amateur Radio communications support have been provided. A communications link was established between Harris and Galveston Counties to support the use of FEMA-leased cruise ships as shelters. This involved the Galveston ARES EC and Amateur Radio operators of both counties. Alongside the on-site communications support effort, Amateur Radio operators who could not participate in the deployment joined a Harris County ARES health and welfare messaging task force to contact shelters in the greater Harris County area. Task force operators gather messages from shelter residents for assisting in reuniting friends and families. Success stories are already being heard. This focus will remain as long as needed. -- Harris County (Texas) ARES DEC, Ken Mitchell, KD2KW + "FOG OF WAR" -- HOUSTON KATRINA RESPONSE DAY 16 [Here is a personal glimpse into the mental and physical challenges facing ARES volunteers, from Hal Merritt, KD5HWW, EC Northwest Harris County ARES--ed.] "At least I think it is day 16. It is something of a blur. Mental exhaustion is everywhere. The days are so intense that it takes hours to fall asleep. We estimate 2,000 person-hours logged so far. "Things are contracting. We are down to our last few thousand folks in shelters. It was difficult to recruit enough hams but now it is getting to be nearly impossible. Operators have given their all. They have exhausted their vacations and pushed their employers' patience as far as they dare. We have 130 hams on the resource list. "Things continue to change at a rapid clip. By the time we can respond to a need, there can be a change. That can be frustrating for all. This 'fog of war' remains a huge challenge." + SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI [The mission: care for 1,400 ill and elderly evacuees at the "Special Needs Shelter" in Biloxi. Army MARS members John Pinkard, KD5KXJ/AAM4EMS, and John Whitten, W5JWW/AAA4MS, deployed on August 30 from northern Mississippi. Both were volunteers with the Mississippi State Guard. Pinkard sent the following account of their week's work in Biloxi. -ed.] I am 50 and thought I had seen everything. But this was the most horrendous vision of my life. We deployed as part of the State Guard in support of the Mississippi Medical Detachment and arrived at the special needs shelter at the Biloxi High School. Occupants of the shelter totaled 1,400 persons, mostly nursing home and hospice patients. Most of them had given up hope. They had scant food and water for two days, and were without power or sanitary facilities. The staff (three nurses and one doctor) was overwhelmed and exhausted. They had almost no medical supplies. The scene was one of horror: non-ambulatory occupants were reduced to relieving themselves where they lay. The smell was overpowering. The staff was doing their best, having braved the fury of the storm to remain at their post rendering aid to their helpless charges. They saved lives by dogged determination. I began erecting antennas and setting up a communication room. We ran three portable generators for vital services, cooling fans, O2 concentrators, and communication equipment. We used a Harris commercial HF rig and a Yaesu FT-817, tuned to the local amateur club's VHF repeater. Several H-Ts were used. Thanks to radio amateurs set up at strategic points, contact was made with ambulance dispatch, Keesler AFB, Mississippi State Police, and the EOCs for Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson Counties. Contact was also made with Army MARS. Traffic consisted of several requests for ambulance assistance for the evacuation of four critically ill patients, and for supplies and materials. Supplies began to arrive and things began to improve rapidly. While the role of HF operations cannot be minimized, the real star of the show was VHF operations allowing quick access to a wide array of assets, without which the outcome of the operation would have in no way been nearly so favorable. + MORE ON THE SATERN STORY [The following is from Bill Sexton, N1IN. I am still listening to the SATERN net on 14.265 MHz, which is still doing an excellent job. --K1CE] One of Katrina's many frustrating ironies was that trapped residents in New Orleans couldn't get through to local rescuers on the telephone but were able to connect with relatives or friends many miles away--as far away as China. Related to that was yet another wrenching anomaly: an all-too-pervasive lack (at least during the early days) of radio contact into News Orleans. Facilities were under water or without power. For a fortunate number of storm victims, Amateur Radio operators working with the Salvation Army and other relief agencies provided the vital long-distance link to rescuers. It was roundabout, but it worked. When SOS calls began pouring into the Salvation Army, for example, a quick alliance was forged between SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) and SHARES (SHAred RESources program), the federal net linking government offices across the country. Through SHARES, SATERN's radio amateurs could relay traffic via MARS (Military Affiliate Radio System), which is also composed of hams and is a key SHARES component. "They are still stranded! They still stay in their house . . . please send rescuer there to save them," said the e-mail, one of more than 50,000 health-and-welfare inquiries received by the Salvation Army in the first week. It was forwarded through MARS, and a MARS operator later confirmed that the rescue was successful. These pleas were typical: * "He is elderly and stranded upstairs. No food, no water, no meds. Has health problems." * "Handful of seniors in a senior building. Right off Lake Ponchartrain they are on the 10th floor and running out of food." * "Stranded in girls' dormitory with dozens of other students in the upper levels. Lower levels are flooded. No food or water. Please rescue. Girls are from all parts of the USA." Katrina is possibly the most catastrophic emergency in the MARS organization's operational history going back to its conception in 1925 (then known as the Army Amateur Radio Service). Among other things, this was also the most widespread communications breakdown in US history; and the primary mission of MARS is providing backup communications. Significantly, it was the communications know-how of radio amateurs, and secondarily their radio equipment that provided much of the immediate help to the disaster zone. + AMATEURS SUPPORT BROADCAST STATION ROLE A low power FM broadcast station, WQRZ-LP is owned and operated by the Hancock County Amateur Radio Association, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. WQRZ-LP broadcasts on 103.5 MHz and was the only surviving broadcast facility in Hancock County, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. The station was granted an emergency waiver by the FCC to temporarily raise its ERP from 100 watts to 2,000 watts to increase its range in order to better serve the public with emergency news and information. The following engineers, both Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) members and Amateur Radio operators donated their time and effort to install new equipment and raise the station's power level: Gary Sessums, KC5QCN; Sara Allen, KI4KMI; Gary Minker, KC4UDZ; and Brice Phillips, KB5MPW. We moved the surviving WQRZ-LP studio equipment to the Hancock County EOC and installed it along with brand new equipment, creating a new radio station, allowing the Hancock County Emergency Management staff to talk directly to the public from the EOC. 3,000 portable AM/FM radios were distributed at the food, water, and ice distribution points. Harris Corporation and Marti Electronics provided the equipment used to make this happen. -- Gary Sessums, KC5QCN, RACES Officer/ARES Emergency Coordinator, Hillsborough County, Florida + POST-KATRINA: 800 MHZ TRUNK SYSTEMS FIRST TO GO The 800 MHz and other trunked systems commonly used by local and state agencies were the first to go in the hard hit areas of Katrina. In many cases, we found police and fire units dispatching from a car or HT. Even after two weeks, we still had radio amateurs handling all of the EOC and public safety communications in a number of counties and parishes on the coast. The most valuable asset by far has been the totally self-contained Amateur Radio operator or ham team who went in with radios, generators, antennas, food, water, and sleeping bags. -- Alabama SEC Jay Isbell, KA4KUN + OPINION: LET'S MAKE ARRL AN "NGO" Nearly all government emergency responders still regard radio amateurs as outsiders and not part of their system of operations. They don't understand our capability. We don't fit their ideal of an emergency responder, and consequently there is a lack of trust. Non-government organizations (NGO) like the Red Cross are also outsiders but have an accepted, defined role and provide an excellent, needed service. Maybe we, ARRL, should promote ourselves more as an official NGO. I worked for an NGO, Direct Relief International, in Santa Barbara, California, and had a chance to see how they work. NGOs see themselves as outsiders looking in, but take full advantage of that role. I saw them flourish during the tsunami disaster because they are an alternative to government agencies with their attendant problems. Let's make the ARRL an NGO, because that is exactly what we are: an alternative communications resource ready and able to function anywhere and anytime with trained and dedicated volunteers. -- John Wallack, W6TLK <email@example.com> [John is the former ARRL Section Manager of the San Francisco section. - ed.] + NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS) TRAINING Hillsborough County (Florida) ARES/RACES is sponsoring National Incident Management System (NIMS) training on Saturday, October 1, 2005 from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 2711 East Hanna Avenue, in Tampa, Florida. This training is offered free of charge. Developed by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security at the request of the President, NIMS integrates effective practices in emergency preparedness and response into a comprehensive national framework for Incident Command System (ICS) management. NIMS provides a consistent nationwide template to enable all government, private-sector, and non-governmental organizations to work together during domestic incidents. This one-day training session will consist of the following three Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) courses: ICS-100 -- Introduction to Incident Command System ICS-200 -- Basic Incident Command System IS 700 -- National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction NIMS is a fundamental component of a nationwide credentialing system for Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Fighting and Hazardous Materials Response, Law Enforcement, Health Care, Public Health, Public Works, and Search and Rescue personnel. Students successfully completing the training and receiving a passing score of 75% on the final exam will earn NIMS certification. NIMS certification facilitates the immediate identification and dispatch of appropriate and qualified personnel for mutual-aid response to any incident. Please e-mail <email@example.com> or call the Hillsborough County ARES/RACES office located at the EOC at (813) 224-8544 to register for this course. -- Gary Sessums, KC5QCN, RACES Officer/ARES Emergency Coordinator, Hillsborough County, Florida + LETTERS FROM KATRINA During and after every disaster, the communication problems are lamented. I am curious as to why the various governmental agencies do not just give up and rely on the Amateur Radio Service for communication. There seem to be plenty of trained amateurs with equipment, able and willing to provide this service. The government provides training grants, and some reimbursement for volunteers (although the volunteers seem to be willing to provide the service without reimbursement), yet there seems to be a drive by the government to duplicate our services in some government structure, probably at great cost, and without a great deal of added value. -- Dick Harper, KC9BBA <firstname.lastname@example.com> + FINAL THOUGHT This issue by no means presents a complete and comprehensive picture of ARES activity across the several current emergency fronts. There are hundreds of untold other stories and reports of activity out there that go undocumented. If you or your team's own activity is not included in this or other Amateur Radio media, please know that we fully support and applaud your efforts, too. Better yet, if you can somehow find some time and energy, please document and send your reports and stories to the editor. That way, the rest of the "ARES nation" can marvel at your efforts as well. - K1CE


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When the scroll is removed, it can be placed on its own stand:
Thank you, Raymond!
Hi Eben,
Amazingly I got the same gift after spending 14 months in China last year!
A very happy and prosperous 2012 to you and the missus!
Cor (aka Andrew circa '91/92)
Great gift!
Though not another translation of "Art of War", I just finished reading "How Great Generals Win", with extensive Art of War references and the most interesting account of Mao's "Long March" that I've seen yet.
Are you still in Shangahi?
Ye Shanghai at Xintiandi is quite nice ;-)
Lovely gift. I have great respect for the classics. There is an old Chinese saying, "good Men are not used for Soldiers, no more than good steel is used for nails." I can't say I agree, but it does show the elevation of the profession over the centuries.
There is something special about the look, feel, smell, of a real book. I think about my dog eared copy of FM 101-5 with my ever present notes in the margins. Even in retirement it remains close by.
Over the years, the paper cover of my copy has be come soft as velvet.
Best regards,
Hi Cor,
All of those "Andrews" made my head spin at times as I started getting confused as to who was who!
Great that you too have got a similar version. I was incredibly taken aback at receiving such a gift. It is a true work of art and an heirloom to boot.
Bestest to you and yours for 2012 as well.
Hi Ryan,
Incredible isn't it?
Sounds like a good book you are reading. Thanks for pointing it out as I will go and hunt it down.
I am back home again for a few days. Who knows where my path will lead me next...
Hi M,
I suppose in the early days armies took whoever they could before becoming more professional in nature. Today's armies are looking for good men – so I agree with your comment re "Good men are not used for soldiers..."
Yes, the look, feel and smell of a book is something like you that I too treasure. Many of my books are also dog-eared and full of notes in the margins. But to me, that makes them special. Besides, books are honest friends. I guess that like me, you cannot get rid of your books?
Good Morning Eeben,
All I can rightly say is what a stunning gift. An amazing addition to any library.
I do agree on real books, I have a massive personal library as well, but only have 2 different copies of the Art of War - neither of this caliber. Of course your tome is a very fine keystone in my library.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi John,
Indeed, I am fortunate. As Cor wrote, he too has a similar one and he also got his as a gift.
I am pleased that you too are a book lover. Too many people nowadays have traded books for electronic books. I admit that to travel with e-books is lighter than with real books but I would rather carry heavy and have a real book in my hands.
Mr. Barlow,
What a gift! I too am a book lover, as in hard copy. My copies of Sun Tzu do not match yours. I also began to read Sun Tzu many decades ago.
Back when I was on the faculty of a US war college, I was disappointed that Sun Tzu, while covered, never got the exposure that was lavished on Clausewitz. I've always felt old Carl would turn over in his grave if he could see the obeisance his writing garners from the US community of military academics. Of course Clausewitz has much to offer, but let us allow for a little perspective and room for discussion--even a wee bit of dissent.
My point is that Sun Tzu has much to offer; in my view, more than Carl.
Hi Herbert,
It is nice to know that there are still booklovers around.
I am not anti e-book in any way, it is just a personal preference. Some of my friends have e-books/readers which they enjoy and always have a laugh at me carting books around. Truth be told, I have read one or 2 books off their readers and actually enjoyed it. But, that did not deter my love for real books.
I too can never really understand why Clausewitz is viewed so highly above the likes of De Jomini and Sun Tzu. Yes, he does have a lot to offer but people want to follow him rigidly and the type of wars being fought when he wrote it have changed substantially. Whereas much of what he wrote still has validity, it must be viewed with some flexibility as well.
Hi Eeben,
Sarinda and I are very happy you love the gift. We like to meet you soon.
Wishing you and your family a prosperous and happy Lunar New Year of Dragon.
Best Regards
Hi Raymond,
Again, my thanks to you!
I think it is time for you, Sarinda and Stephen to visit me for a change. However, we will probably accompany J to HK when he starts at university but we will keep you posted.
Good Evening Eeben,
Along the line of spectacular new literary aquisitions this jewel showed up on my front porch today, Al Venter's new work on Neall Ellis. I look forward to a great read.
Hi John,
Neall is a great pilot and a man who will fly through hell to help out those who call him. I am sure it will be a great read.
Very cool gift. Happy New Year Eeben and hope all is well with you and your family. Take care.
Hi Matt,
And a great New Year to you as well.
A great gift it certainly is. I am very fortunate.


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The Heart of Voh is a natural clearing formed by the mangroves. It symbolises an ecosystem worth protecting.
The world's most famous heart didn't find fame through Saint Valentine, but rather through photography: it's the Heart of Voh ("Vook" in the local Kanak) found on the west coast of Grande Terre, 300km from Nouméa, in New Caledonia. A simple 4-hectare clearing, or tanne, formed by the mangroves on the edge of the lagoon, whose recognisable human shape has sent writers into a frenzy.
A unique landscape
In 1999, the photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand made it the cover photo for his book, Earth from Above, a UNESCO-sponsored inventory of the world's most beautiful landscapes. The book went on to sell four million copies and the famous heart is now seen on t-shirts, stamps, and diaries, and embroidered on towels. And just like the photographer, you can see the famous heart from the sky on board a microlight. It's now much greener than in 1999: as the mangrove has gained ground, the yellow colour at the centre of the heart that contrasted with the verdant edges has since disappeared. But the outline remains, and between mountains, turquoise lagoon, and the green expanse of the mangrove trees, the landscape in which the heart resides is breath-taking!
Another option is to take a 4x4 for a drive, or just hike up Katepai Mountain. It's three hours of pure fresh air. The bravest visitors will climb all the way to the 700m summit, while the rest can be happy with the observation platform at 400m. The view below shows the heart in full, and beyond it the subtle shades of green and blue that make up this wild coastline.
A fertile land
In the centre of Voh, visitors can discover the history of this little bit of land that was colonised in the late 19th century, to become a key coffee-growing hotspot in the early 20th century. Back then, Voh residents harvested a trifling 300 tonnes every year! The nice little eco-museum hosts temporary exhibitions on coffee, which can be perused while sipping on a mug of Arabica. Nowadays, nickel, farming, and aquaculture are the main industries providing a livelihood for the pioneers' descendants. Women catch 100 tonnes of crabs from the mangrove every year, showing just how important this ecosystem is.


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The Big River, or Great River, in the stories of the Northwest Indians is the Columbia. The Big Shining Mountains are the Rockies.
"Long, long ago, when the world was young and people had not come out yet," said an elderly Indian years ago, "the animals and the birds were the people of this country. They talked to each other just as we do. And they married, too."
Coyote (ki-o-ti) was the most powerful of the animal people, for he had been given special power by the Spirit Chief. For one thing, he changed the course of Big River, leaving Dry Falls behind. In some stories, he was an animal; in others he was a man, sometimes a handsome young man.
In that long ago time before this time, when all the people and all the animals spoke the same language, Coyote made one of his frequent trips along Great River. He stopped when he came to the place where the water flowed under the Great Bridge that joined the mountains on one side of the river with the mountains on the other side. There he changed himself into a handsome young hunter.
When travelling up the river the last time, he had seen a beautiful girl in a village not far from the bridge. He made up his mind that he would ask the girl's father if he might have her for his wife. The girl's father was a chief. When the handsome young man went to the chief's lodge, he carried with him a choice gift for the father in return for his daughter.
The gift was a pile of the hides and furs of many animals, as many skins as Coyote could carry. He made the gift large and handsome because he had learned that the man who would become the husband of the girl would one day become the chief of the tribe.
The chief knew nothing about the young man except that he seemed to be a great hunter. The gift was pleasing in the father's eyes, but he wanted his daughter to be pleased.
"She is my only daughter," the chief said to the young hunter. "And she is very dear to my heart. I shall not be like other fathers and trade her for a pile of furs. You will have to win the heart of my daughter, for I want her to be happy."
So Coyote came to the chiefs lodge every day, bringing with him some small gift that he thought would please the girl. But he never seemed to bring the right thing. She would shyly accept his gift and the run away to the place where the women sat in the sun doing their work with deerskins or to the place where the children were playing games.
Every day Coyote became more eager to win the beautiful girl. He thought and thought about what gifts to take to her. "Perhaps the prettiest flower hidden in the forest," he said to himself one day, "will be the gift that will make her want to marry me."
He went to the forest beside Great River and searched for one whole day. Then he took to the chief's lodge the most beautiful flower he had found. He asked to see the chief.
"I have looked all day for this flower for your daughter," said Coyote to the chief. "If this does not touch her heart, what will? What gift can I bring that will win her heart?"
The chief was the wisest of all the chiefs of a great tribe. He answered, "Why don't you ask my daughter? Ask her, today, what gift will make her heart the happiest of all hearts."
As the two finished talking, they saw the girl come out of the forest. Again Coyote was pleased and excited by her beauty and her youth. He stepped up to her and asked, "Oh, beautiful one, what does your heart want most of all? I will get for you anything that you name. This flower that I found for you in a hidden spot in the woods is my pledge."
Surprised, or seeming to be surprised, the girl looked at the young hunter and at the rare white flower he was offering her.
"I want a pool," she answered shyly. "A pool where I may bathe every day hidden from all eyes that might see."
Then, without accepting the flower that Coyote had searched for so many hours, she ran away. As before, she hurried to play with her young friends.
Coyote turned to her father. "It is well. In seven suns I will come for you and your daughter. I will take you to the pool she asked for. The pool will be for her alone."
For seven suns Coyote worked to build the pool that would win the heart of the girl he wished to marry. First he cut a great gash in the hills on the south side of Great River. Then he lined that gash with trees and shrubs and ferns to the very top of a high wall that looked toward the river.
Then he went to the bottom of the rock wall and slanted it back a long way, far enough to hollow out a wide pool. He climbed up the wall again and went far back into the hills. There he made a stream come out of the earth, and he sent it down the big gash he had made, to fall over the slanting rock wall. From the edge of that wall the water dropped with spray and mist. And so the water made, at the bottom, a big screen that hid the pool from all eyes.
When he had finished his work, Coyote went to the village to invite the chief and his daughter to see what he had made. When they had admired the new waterfall, he showed them the pool that lay behind it and the spray. He watched the eyes of the girl.
She looked with smiling eyes, first at the pool and the waterfall in front of it, and then at the young hunter who had made them for her. He could see that she was pleased. He could see that at last he had won her heart. She told her father that she was willing to become the wife of the young hunter.
In that long ago time before this time, two old grandmothers sat all day on top of the highest mountains. One sat on the top of the highest mountain north of Great River. The other sat on the highest mountain south of it. When the one on the north side talked, she could be heard eastward as far as the Big Shining Mountains, westward as far as the big water where the sun hides every night, and northward to the top of the world.
The grandmother on the south side of the river also could be heard as far west as the big water and as far south as anyone lived. The two old women saw everything that was done, and every day they told all the people on both sides of the river.
Now they saw the chief's daughter go every morning to bathe in the pool, and they saw Coyote wait for her outside the screen of waterfall and spray. The old grandmothers heard the two sing to each other and laugh together. The grandmothers laughed at the pair, raised their voices, and told all the people what they saw and heard.
Soon the chief's daughter knew that all the people were laughing at her--all the people from the big water to the Big Shining Mountains, all the people from the top of the world to as far south as anyone lived.
She was no longer happy. She no longer sang with joy. One day she asked Coyote to allow her to go alone to the pool. The old grandmothers watched her go behind the waterfall. Then they saw her walk from the pool and go down into Great River. Her people never saw her again.
Coyote, in a swift canoe, went down Great River in search of her. He saw her floating and swimming ahead of him, and he paddled as fast as he could. He reached her just before she was carried out into the big water where the sun hides at night.
There the two of them, Coyote and the girl, were turned into little ducks, little summer ducks, floating on the water.
That was a long, long time ago. But even today, when the sun takes its last look at the high cliff south of Great River, two summer ducks swim out to look back at the series of waterfalls that dash down the high mountain. They look longest at the lowest cascade and the spray that hides the tree-fringed pool behind them.
If those who want to understand will be silent and listen, they will hear the little song that the chief's daughter and Coyote used to sing to each other every morning after she had bathed in the pool. The song begins very soft and low, lifts sharply to a high note, and then fades gently away.


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Home | Book's Links | Reviews | Author Bios and Contact Info | ||||
If you have picked this
book up, good for
you. It can only mean that you care about living
a meaningful life, and what can beat that?
Nothing! The Animal Activist's
Handbook punches way
above its weight. Rarely have so few pages
contained so much intelligence and good advice.
Get it, read it, and act on it. Now. This book is so much
more than a how-to guide
for activists. It is an inspirational and motivational
opus from the two gentlest yet most effective
giants in the movement. The Animal Activist's
Handbook will elevate your activism and forever
alter who you are and who you want to be. Bruce Friedrich and Matt
Ball are important
voices in the animal protection movement. Their
book is a straightforward, thoughtful, and
practical guide to being the most effective
activist you can be for your cause. The Animal Activist's
Handbook offers invaluable
suggestions for how to be as effective as possible
in giving a voice to the voiceless. The plight
of animals is so dire that we can't afford
to engage in advocacy that isn't optimally
useful in changing people's attitudes about,
and actions toward, them. I wish this book
had been written when I first got involved
in the animal protection movementit would
have made my early years as an animal advocate
a lot more effective! Definitely the best,
most compelling, and most fruitful book I've ever read for anyone
who considers themselves (or would like to
become) an animal advocate. A quick read but
to the point and filled with invaluable insights
gained by Matt and Bruce over their decades
of experience, this book will make anyone who
reads and heeds it exponentially more effective
at saving animals' lives and reducing their
suffering. I run a small non-profit advocacy
organization and am strongly encouraging all
of our volunteers to read this book and take
its logic and lessons to heart. The Animal Activist's
Handbook is full of
good sense, thoughtful advice, and practical
action on helping all of us to reduce the needless
suffering of our fellow creatures. I recommend
it. A must-have book for
all animal advocates, particularly those
new to the animal protection movement. As
seasoned activists, Friedrich and Ball have
gained the experience and wisdom needed to
identify the best strategies for animal advocacy.
In addition to practical advice, they give
us an inspiring message of hopea
hope grounded on the knowledge that each of
us can make a significant difference in the
lives of many animals. You'll find the sample
dialogs in this book
are a Swiss army knife suitable for just about
any situation. Highly recommended. A gentle little book with a kick-ass message. Bruce Friedrich and Matt
Ball argue eloquently that the good life is best achieved by working
to end suffering and honoring the Golden Rule.
Their embodiment of these virtues informs their
activism on behalf of non-human animals, and
gives this important and passionately written
book a wonderful depth of spirit and feeling. The extraordinary activist Henry
Spira said "If
you see something that's wrong, you've GOT
to do something about it." If he were
alive today, he would add "and here's
the book that will show you how." If you
want to get the most bang for your activism
buck, read this book today. Matt Ball & Bruce
Friedrich are giants in the animal protection
movement, having lived their lives as models
of altruism. Their insights, anecdotes and
sensitive, respectful strategies are essential
for anyone who wants to effectively address
the horrific suffering of animals in the 21st
Century. This is not feel-good activism, but
potent advice to achieve realistic change. The Animal Activist's
Handbook is a must read
for anyone who wants to make a difference in
the lives of animals. I'm getting this book
for all my friends who are either beginning
their advocacy for animals, or are eager to
become more effective advocates. It's a fun
and easy readdefinitely worth buying. There is nothing more
maddening than wanting
desperately to change the fate of animals and
not knowing how to go about it. This book shows
you how to streamline your thoughts, present
information, and be the greatest force you
can be for these creatures who have no voice.
It is a Godsend for a movement that is gaining
ever stronger momentum. Here's a simple guide for all you aspiring
animal rights activists out there, so you don't
have to reinvent the wheel! Lantern Books, New York (publisher's
page) |
Home | Book's Links | Reviews | Author Bios and Contact Info |


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Here's a few encouraging words about 'Letter to Slugger O'Toole' from Spiked-online journalist Brendan O'Neill.
A slightly inhuman presence that bans bad comments and works late at night to remove the wrinkles in Slugger's technical carpet. You will need to know about the comments policy to stay off the fightin' side of me and there is a bit of background about me here. You can email me using this spam-proof link if you really need to, and Slugger is @sluggerotoole on Twitter. But above all, remember, Play the ball and not the man.


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Susie's Answers - Episode 4
Thanks for another great week of questions! I'm traveling sans video camera this week, so blogging answers to you instead. Back up vlogging next week (promise), so post all your questions for this Sunday's Episode 5 over here.
Onto my Episode 4 responses...
Of course Teddy is the talk of the town this week! Courtney specifically wrote in wanting to know, "Was the decision to send Teddy home unanimous? If not, who did each judge vote to send home and why?"
I was really on the fence at first about whether we should let Teddy or Katie go. But Bob, and especially Bobby, really liked Katie and wanted to see more from her. I came down pretty hard on Katie for the under-cooked food, but Teddy just could not overcome being so forced and fake on camera. You saw in the challenge he had notes on his hand! So even though both of them were almost equally at the bottom for me, in the end, it was unanimous for us that Teddy needed to leave this week.
Jeffrey definitely had a tough episode this week. Debby asked me in the comments, "What the heck was Jeffrey supposed to do with blueberries and lobster? Since the baskets were chosen for them, are you trying to make Jeffrey fail?"
Bobby was actually very excited about Jeffrey's basket and was looking forward to seeing what he would do with it. Look, I think it was a very, VERY difficult pairing of ingredients, but I've seen harder combinations on our show Chopped. This is where ingenuity, creativity and survival all come into play. The blueberries and taste of the dish weren't his downfall; it was actually the consistency and preparation of what was, in fact, a failed pot pie. Jeffrey performed pretty poorly on this challenge, which is not typical for him. But his dish didn't fail because it was blue; it failed because it was bad.
Megan wants to know, "Who is to blame for Debbie catching a pan in the face? Michael or Debbie? As a chef… if you are behind, say BEHIND!"
You are right. It was definitely Debbie's call to let Michael know she was behind him. He had no idea that someone was there, especially with the pace and intensity of the clock ticking away. Just like when you're passing someone on a bike, you should say, "on your left" or "behind you" – it's more than just courtesy; it's safety in a situation like that. Nonetheless, we felt terrible that Debbie got hurt, and we were absolutely worried about her. What you wouldn't have known just by watching Episode 4 was that Debbie's bruise was so severe, she had to keep applying and reapplying make-up as the bruise proceeded to grow and change colors. However, with all of that said, I feel a situation like this either makes you stronger, or you recoil in the face of obstacles. And in the end, I was disappointed that Debbie recoiled.
Dee, Susan, Brian, and Jennifer were all curious about the faulty equipment on this week's episode. Dabney said, "It appeared not all of the stoves on the Intrepid were calibrated, resulting in some really bad dishes. Was this by design to see how the contestants would compensate?"
We didn't plan to send the finalists into a faulty kitchen as a part of the challenge. However, I think cooking in different environments always presents different obstacles, so you have to be prepared to improvise. I was recently at a festival in San Francisco in which Guy Feiri, Aida Mollenkamp and Anne Burrell all performed culinary demos in the same outdoor kitchen. The wind was blowing hard that day, and it was very hard to keep the flame going. I noticed each one of them working through it, and even though they all handled it differently, everyone overcame the challenge with grace. These are very real situations the finalists are facing, and it tells us a lot about how they may face adversities as a Food Network star.
Remember to send in your questions for this Sunday's Episode 5 in the comments section of the Ask Susie - Episode 5 post.


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John Kerry on Budget & EconomyJr Senator (MA), Democratic nominee for President |
CNN FACT CHECK:Bush says Kerry will raise taxes to pay for "new government spending." The Kerry campaign says the figure is "completely false." Kerry has not said he would raise taxes to that degree to pay for his proposals. The $900 billion figure is the Bush campaign's estimate of how much taxes would have to be raised in order to pay for Kerry's spending proposals. Kerry's health plan was estimated to cost between $653 billion and $895 billion. Kerry says he would cut the $500 billion federal deficit in half by 2009. Kerry initially had offered few details about how he would pay for all his proposals, other than repealing the Bush tax cuts for those making more than $200,000 a year. Now, he has added that he would repeal the Bush administration's capital gains and dividend tax cuts and reinstate the estate tax, which Kerry's campaign said would generate about $860 billion in revenue.
KERRY: I'll tell you exactly how I can do it: by reinstating what Pres. Bush took away, which is called "pay as you go." During the 1990s, we had pay-as-you-go rules. If you were going to pass something in the Congress, you had to show where you are going to pay for it and how. Pres. Bush is the only president in history to [rescind pay-as-you-go]. I'm going to reverse that. We're going to restore the fiscal discipline we had in the 1990s.
BUSH: I'll tell you what PAYGO means, when you're a senator from Massachusetts, PAYGO means: You pay, and he goes ahead and spends. He's proposed $2.2 trillion of new spending, and yet the so-called tax on the rich raises $800 billion by his account. There is a tax gap. And guess who usually ends up filling the tax gap? The middle class.
BUSH: He's just not credible when he talks about being fiscally conservative. If you look at his record in the Senate, he voted to break the spending caps over 200 times. And of course he's going to raise your taxes. You see, he's proposed $2.2 trillion of new spending. He says he's going to raise the taxes on the rich-that raises $800 billion. Now, either he's going to break all these wonderful promises he's told you about or he's going to raise taxes. And I suspect, given his record, he's going to raise taxes.
KERRY: In 1985, I was one of the first Democrats to move to balance the budget. I vote for the balanced budget in '93 and '97. We did it. And I was there.
BUSH: Yes, he's got a record. You can run, but you can't hide. He voted 98 times to raise taxes. It's just not credible to say he's going to keep taxes down and balance budgets.
KERRY: The figures of $2.2 trillion just aren't accurate. Those are the fuzzy math figures put together by some group that works for the campaign. Number two, John McCain and I have a proposal jointly for a commission that closes corporate giveaway loopholes. We got $40 billion going to Bermuda. We got all kinds of giveaways. We ought to be shutting those down.
A: It's a recovery for the people in the corporate boardroom. It's a recovery for corporations, to some degree, by compacting, by increasing productivity. But if you go across America, it's not a recovery This recovery is a recovery for those people who have stock. It's a recovery for those people who are able to walk away with the highest salaries. But workers have only seen a three-cents-an-hour increase in their wages.
KERRY: I'm going to do what Clinton did. I'm going to cut the deficit in half in the first four years. Clinton's plan was to balance the budget in 10 years, not the five Governor Dean says. The reason we decided not to do it in five was because it required extraordinary cuts in the things we just talked about doing investing in the city of Detroit, investing in our schools, investing in health care, making our economy move.
KERRY: Going back to the Clinton tax cuts, doesn't create another job, it puts a burden on current predicament of middle-class Americans. They lose their current revenue. What's kept America's economy moving in the last two and a half years has been consumer spending. If all of a sudden, when we're trying to recover, we sucked a whole lot of money out of those consumers, we are not going to be able to keep the economy moving. It's the wrong policy.
A: The first thing we have to do is to roll back the Bush tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. Fiscally responsible tax cuts for working families can grow the economy, but there is no excuse for special tax cuts for the rich. Then we can create jobs and invest in our people. With the right economic plan, we can turn our economy around, invest in people and reduce deficits all at the same time.


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An estimate of US consumers' data consumption places the figure at 3.6 zettabytes per year. But most of that comprises pixels temporarily thrown onto the screen, not bytes permanently written to media.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, have produced the latest in a series of reports entitled "How Much Information?" The goal of the work is to provide some estimate of the amount of content that a typical US consumer goes through in a given year, in this case 2008. When expressed in terms of raw bytes, the report's authors estimate a staggering 3.6 zettabytes, which works out to 34GB a day per consumer. But that figure counts everything, including pixels that are rendered and thrown onto the screen by gaming consoles. When considered in terms of words delivered to the actual human consumers, games barely register.
The report involved collecting a large number of estimates of various forms of media consumption: hours spent gaming, number of newspapers sold, etc. These were combined with estimates of the amount of information content of each of these, such as the number of words in a typical newspaper, and (when necessary), converting that into bytes. As such, there are undoubtedly significant error bars on most of these estimates, although they're not provided with the numbers in the report. Still, some of the differences are pronounced enough that it's fair to say that even large errors wouldn't change many of the overall conclusions.
The other caveat is that past studies of this sort, produced primarily at UC Berkeley (in part by Hal Varian, who's now with Google), have focused on unique content. As a result, they're not directly comparable to the current figures. The only prior study that is directly comparable dates from 1980, which is ancient history in digital terms.
The numbers are broken down in three ways. The first is raw hours of consumption, which counts time spent multitasking—browsing the Web while watching TV, for example—twice. All told, US consumers spend nearly a dozen hours a day immersed in some sort of media. Given the typical work and sleep requirements, that implies a lot of us are heavy multitaskers. Combined, traditional media like TV and radio still account for over half those hours, although the shrinking market for print is apparent, as only 0.6 hours a day were spent on that. Computers and gaming, which seem to dominate media discussions, still only account for about a quarter of the daily consumption.
When it comes to the information conveyed by these media, the report turns to a fairly crude measure: word count. Here, TV comes into the fore, accounting for nearly have the words ingested by the US consumers. Print actually registers as more significant here, while radio shrinks, as a lot of people are simply using it for listening to music. Computers do play a significant role in this measure of consumption, accounting for over a quarter of the words we see, but the impact of games plunges into insignificance here. Compared to the 1980 figures, we're seeing a 140 percent increase in the total number of words we encounter in a day.
The last measure the analysis examined was the number of bytes involved in the different forms of media. Here, because of their visual richness, computer games accounted for half the total data that US consumers are exposed to, TVs account for just over a third, and movies, for the first time, appear to be a significant contributor. Because of the amount of data involved in displaying visual information, the amount of total bytes is enormous—this is where the 3.6 zettabytes figure for annual consumption appears.
But it's important to note that much of this data is transient: TV broadcasts that only exist as a limited number of permanent copies, scenes rendered on-the-fly in games, etc. It's a necessary thing, too, as it's estimated that the total number of bytes consumed is 20 times larger than the entire world's hard disk capacity.
Compared to 1980 figures, the number of bytes has increased by 350 percent. That sounds like a lot until the annual rate of growth is considered: 5.4 percent, a number that's far below the rate of change for storage and processing power over that period. In short, we're able to handle a lot more content, but we don't seem to be doing so.
The authors provide a number of possible explanations for this discrepancy, including the fact that commercial data isn't considered, and the amount of direct, computer-to-computer data exchange appears to be on the rise. Still, part of this difference may reflect real trends. Although HD hardware and some HD programming are now available, for the most part, TV signals haven't changed dramatically since 1980. And, as more consumers turn to online video, compression ensures that they're actually consuming fewer bytes.
Although many of the numbers provided by the report are intriguing, and a few of the trends identified are likely to be significant, the large uncertainties associated with any of these figures suggest that they should be used cautiously. And the authors go into an extensive discussion of why measures like total bytes, or even total words may be poor measures of significance. After all, they point out, a typical episode of Lost blows away Lincoln's Gettysburg Address on both counts, but the latter will probably remain quite a bit more significant.
Source: ars technica


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Forum Post: make the promise
Posted 10 years ago on May 10, 2013, 3:20 p.m. EST by gwb
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
I Promise to honor the 26 lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
I Promise to do everything I can to encourage and support common sense solutions that make my community and our country safer from similar acts of violence.
Sign here: http://www.sandyhookpromise.org/promise?recruiter_id=149102


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Gina Raimondo on Gun Control | |
The ban on guns in schools comes in the form of a "binding directive" issued to all Rhode Island school superintendents.
Meanwhile, Republican candidate for governor Patricia Morgan said the governor, instead of coming up with sensible solutions, has chosen to "disrespect the Constitution in a deceitful attempt win primary votes. If she were serious about securing our schools and making our children safe she would have acted sooner to upgrade security measures in all our schools."
Massachusetts, Delaware and Puerto Rico are joining the "States for Gun Safety" coalition--a multi-state partnership launched this month to combat the gun violence epidemic. With the addition of these new members, the coalition of states now represents over 35 million Americans and will take action to stop gun-related violence in the face of continued federal inaction.
Governor Cuomo (D-NY) said, "It's time for the horrifying mass shootings that have plagued this country for far too long to spur real action and real policy changes. Our states collectively already have better gun safety laws than the federal government, and by working together to share information and bolster enforcement, we will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals and better protect our communities. If the federal government refuses to act, we will work together to enact the important reforms families deserve, and I welcome these new states to our coalition."
The three new states will join NY, CT, NJ, and RI in directing their law enforcement intelligence centers to work cooperatively to trace the use of out-of-state guns in crimes and share information in order to intercept criminals transporting illegal guns across state borders.
Additionally, the partner states will also work together to designate an institute of higher education to join the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, to fill the void left by the federal government's 1996 ban on the use of federal funds to study gun violence which has obstructed research efforts across the nation.
Building on these efforts, the states will also work to push the federal government to adopt common-sense gun safety measures. In order to protect families and communities across the region, the group will call on the federal government to swiftly enact universal background checks, an assault weapons ban and a federal waiting period between the purchase and delivery of guns.


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Harry Potter DVD giftset to be released for holiday season
BURBANK, Calif. Warner Home Video will be releasing the Harry Potter Limited Edition DVD Giftset for the holiday season, the company announced last week.
The Giftset, which will be released in limited supply, includes 12 discs, including all of the franchise movies, including this year's release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix." The films have become the top-grossing motion picture franchise in history. All DVDs are available in either standard definition form or Blu-Ray format.
The Giftset will also offer several additions, including interactive DVD games, collectibles, including bookmarks and trading cards. The HD DVD and Blu-ray giftsets will sell for $149.99 SRP; $119.97 SRP for the Standard Definition set.
"We're thrilled to be introducing this collection to Harry Potter fans everywhere," said WHV's Jeff Baker, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Theatrical Catalog and Domestic Sales, "The franchise's success has allowed us to package these distinctive elements and create a stunning collection for consumers to enjoy at a great rate."
"Pottermania" continues as the Harry Potter films 14 are offered for the first time in HD DVD and Blu-ray ($29.99 SRP). The High Definition versions will include all the extra content of the Giftset's two-disc versions and, for a limited time only, both versions will contain a set of four trading cards specific to the title purchased. The Harry Potter films 1-3 will be available individually in Standard Definition also with the trading cards, at a new low price (each $14.97 SRP). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is only available at this price for 60 days, after which it will sell for $19.97 SRP. Orders for all are due November 6.


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Top rated Domestic Violence lawyers in Augusta, GA
Top rated Domestic Violence lawyer
Log in to Super Lawyers to manage your account.
Selectees only:
The Super Lawyers patented selection process is peer influenced and research driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers lists each year. We know lawyers and make it easy to connect with them.
Super Lawyers is a research-driven, peer-influenced rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of professional achievement and peer recognition. The patented selection process combines peer nominations, independent research evaluations and peer evaluations by practice area. Each year no more than 5 percent of the attorneys in the state are selected for the Super Lawyers list, and no more than 2.5 percent for the Rising Stars list.
Have you been charged with neglect of your child?
Is someone you live with threatening you or placing you at risk of bodily harm?
Utilize Super Lawyers to hire a domestic violence and neglect attorney.
Domestic violence and neglect attorneys focus on the family laws revolving around physical abuse, assault and injury, emotional abuse, threats of violence, stalking, or unlawful imprisonment between parents and children, cohabitants, other family members, or intimate partners.
Domestic violence and neglect attorneys have a vast knowledge of the charges associated with domestic violence whether they fall in the misdemeanors or federal offense category.
They may represent those accused with the crime or the victims.
Domestic violence and neglect attorneys listed here are recognized by their peers for their professional achievements.
Find a highly-qualified domestic violence and neglect attorney with Super Lawyers.
Through the Super Lawyers directory, we index attorneys who practice quality and excellence in their work. It is easy to browse domestic violence attorney listings in your immediate area, search for a specific individual referred by a friend, or start narrowing your search by practice area.
When you find attorneys who interest you, spend time and explore their profiles. There you will find the domestic violence attorney's contact, education, and biographical information to supplement your research. Where possible, our profiles will also include links to the domestic violence lawyer's personal biography, firm website, and other relevant information to consider.
Are you ready to take action? The contact form on an attorney's profile makes it easy to connect with a lawyer serving Augusta, Georgia, and seek legal advice.


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Georgia Cookie Candy
Use our BakeBot Ai Chat for instant answers.
Why I Love This Recipe
Paula Deen
Ingredients You'll Need
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Line a 13" x 9" x 2" pan with foil.
Combine the butter, peanut butter, sugar, & graham cracker crumbs in a food processor. Process until the mixture forms a ball.
Press into the foil-lined pan using your hands or a spatula.
Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water or in a microwave-safe glass dish in the microwave for 1 minute on high (100%).
If the chocolate has not completely melted, microwave for 10 seconds more, then stir.
Spread evenly over the cookie layer with a spatula.
Chill for several hours.
When ready to serve, allow the candy to come to room temperature before cutting into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.


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George Lucas finally wraps up his epic Star Wars tale with the release of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Easily the most-anticipated movie of the year, it wasn't surprising to hear that a video-game adaptation would be hitting store shelves. What is surprising, though, is just how entertaining the game turned out to be.
The Collective is probably best known for its development work on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer game and for its previous collaboration with LucasArts on Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb. Both games earned high marks for their excellent fighting systems and engaging story delivery. With Revenge of the Sith, The Collective takes these same elements and refines them to the point that this game blows away any of its previous projects.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably already know the gist of the story. After dragging Star Wars fans through two movies' worth of whining and complaining, young Anakin Skywalker finally evolves from bratty Jedi Knight into universally feared badass, Darth Vader. In Revenge of the Sith, gamers will play out the events leading to the birth of Vader as both Anakin and as his former mentor, Obi Wan.
The action is non-stop in Revenge of the Sith. Each level begins with a short clip from the movie to set things up, and then throws the player to the wolves armed with nothing more than his lightsaber and the power of the Force. Thankfully, the combat system is very fluid and easy to get the hang of. Like with its previous successes, The Collective has developed a deceptively easy control scheme that gives players access to a variety of different moves and combos that are simple to chain together. The game also features some basic RPG-style character development which rewards players with experience at the end of each level. Players can use this experience to beef up their character's attacks and abilities, rising up through the ranks until ultimately becoming a Jedi Master.
Another impressive thing about Revenge of the Sith is the huge amount of unlockable content. Throughout the game, players will unlock special bonus missions. These bonus missions help to flesh out some of the events in the film and allow gamers the opportunity to access some of the characters not otherwise playable in the main game. There's also a huge gallery of original design artwork to unlock, as well as a few extra characters for use in the game's multiplayer duels.


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Common Lisp the Language, 2nd Edition
a generic function is called with particular arguments, it must
determine the code to execute. This code is called the effective
method for those arguments. The effective method is a combination of the applicable methods in the generic function. A
combination of methods is a Lisp expression that contains calls to some or
all of the methods. If a generic function is
called and no methods apply, the generic function
no-applicable-method is invoked.
When the effective method has been determined, it is invoked with the same
arguments that were passed to the generic function. Whatever values it
returns are returned as the values of the generic function.


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Olivia Newton-John to sell Grease outfit for charity
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN is planning to sell off the famous skin-tight pants she wore in GREASE to raise money for a cancer centre in her hometown.
The singer/actress had to be sewn into the black trousers for the 1978 film's finale and she took them home with her after the shoot wrapped.
Newton-John has kept them locked away for more than 30 years, only bringing them out to show Oprah Winfrey during an appearance on her talk show in 2011.
However, she is now hoping to offer them up for an auction to benefit a new wellness facility for cancer suffers at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
She tells Fox411, "They're in a closet. Oprah had them on the show because she asked me to bring them, that's the only time they've been out. One day I'm going to sell them for my cancer and wellness centre, I'm going to auction them off... They were made in the '50s and we made the movie in the late '70s so they were already 25 years old when I wore them."
Newton-John is also hoping to raise money for the clinic with her cookbook of healthy recipes called Livewise: Easy Recipes for a Healthy, Happy Life.
She adds, "I needed to raise money for the wellness centre that I'm building... The wellness centre opens next month. It's taken nearly 10 years. It was my dream to have it as part of the hospital so when people are going through their cancer treatments they can get support from the wellness centre on the grounds of the hospital. There will be yoga classes, cooking classes, massage therapy, acupuncture, things that are going to help them through their cancer and their families."


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Kids who refuse dinner never starve. Sometimes they don't want the chicken on their plate because they've just eaten two peanut butter sandwiches. The author discusses between-meal snacks and gives ideas for painless weaning, introducing kids to solid foods, helping to change the attitude of picky eaters, and more.
Moms and dads sometimes find their kids resisting the recommendations and strategies proposed by childcare specialists. That's when it's time to turn to Last Straw Strategies, a series of lighthearted books filled with practical, old-fashioned wisdom that has passed down through the ages. A longtime journalist and an experienced mom, Michelle Kennedy offers pragmatic solutions instead of fashionable psychological theory. Her user-friendly books contain sound suggestions for relieving three of the most common frustrations suffered by new parents: crying, eating problems, and sleeping problems. Her attitude--infused with wit, energy, and compassion--is perfectly complemented by humorous two-color line illustrations that appear with most of her examples. Parents might want to laugh at some of the proposed solutions, but their laughs will become delighted smiles when they discover that the solutions really work!


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Are you thinking of buying a puppy to keep yourself company as much of Canada and the United States enter a second phase of lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions?
Make sure the pup you're getting is real, the Better Business Bureau warns, as fraudsters are projected to scam more than $3 million from would-be pet buyers in Canada and across the U.S. this year. While puppies are the most popular, the bureau warns that kittens and cats are also popular targets.
According to the bureau, the amount of money lost to pet scams so far this year is already approaching double what it did in 2019, with more than $2.8 million lost so far, compared to just over $1 million last year.
The number of pet scams has also doubled, with 3,969 reports to the bureau in 2020 so far, compared to 1,870 for all of last year.
According to the bureau, the pandemic heavily contributed to the number of pet scams, with more reported in April than in the first three months of the year. That increase is continuing as people head into the holiday months with 77 more scams reported this November than the same month last year.
"COVID-19 has made for a long and uncertain year, and a 'quarantine puppy' or other pet has proven to be a comfort for many people, but it also has created fertile ground for fraudsters," said Michelle L. Corey, BBB St. Louis president and CEO.
"People currently shopping for pets online are prime targets for fraudsters trolling the internet looking for want-to-be pet owners. Knowing the red flags associated with this scam can help consumers avoid heartache and losing their money."
The bureau said that mobile payment apps like Zelle and CashApp (both U.S.-only) were frequently used in 2020, while in 2017 Western Union and MoneyGram wire transfers were more popular.
"A Wichita, Kansas, man reported to BBB in April 2020 that he used Zelle to pay $940 for a French bulldog puppy from scammers who used a bogus, but legitimate looking, website to handle shipping for the puppy that never arrived," the bureau stated.
The pandemic has added an extra layers, with many scammers telling prospective buyers that they cannot meet up or asking for extra cash for special climate-controlled crates, insurance and a (non-existent) COVID-19 vaccine.
To avoid getting scammed, the bureau recommends seeing the pet in person, or using a video call to see the animal before buying, doing a reverse image search and do research about a realistic price for the pet.
READ MORE: Oak Bay resident bilked $3,300 in puppy scam
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.


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Grilled Sardines, Portuguese-style
- 12 to 16 fresh whole sardines (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), scaled, cleaned, and rinsed
- 2 cups peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes (small dice; from about 1 pound tomatoes)
- 3/4 cup extra- virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, sliced into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
- 4 Roma tomatoes (about 1 pound), halved
Lay sardines side by side on a clean, dry kitchen towel or on paper towels and gently roll together into a cylinder to remove excess moisture. Refrigerate until ready to use. (It is very important that the sardines are sufficiently dry before oiling, seasoning, and grilling.)
Preheat a very clean, well-oiled grill or broiler to high.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, olives, parsley, basil, cilantro (if using), shallot, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 /2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Set aside at room temperature until sardines are ready to be served.
Transfer sardines to a small rimmed baking sheet and drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over them. Turn sardines in oil to coat. Oil grill grate one more time before you begin cooking. Season sardines on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place directly on grill and cook, undisturbed, until skin is crispy and lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn sardines over and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. (If you try to turn the fish too soon, they will stick to the grill. Be patient here and the fish will turn easily once the skin has crisped.)
While fish are cooking, brush lemon slices and tomato halves lightly with remaining 1 /4 cup olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, and place on grill. Grill until softened and nicely marked on both sides, about 2 minutes.
Place tomato mixture on a serving platter, arrange grilled sardines on top, season them a final time with sea salt and black pepper, and drizzle with remaining 1 /4 cup lemon juice and remaining 1 /4 cup olive oil. Serve immediately with the grilled tomato halves and grilled lemon slices.